Strengthening Cross-Border Cooperation in Moyale: BBOLD Connects Development Actors for Peace, Resilience and Sustainable Development

The Cross-Border Networking Forum in Moyale, Ethiopia, brought together 120 representatives from Ethiopia and Kenya to strengthen networking, coordination and collaboration around shared cross-border priorities. The workshop was jointly hosted by Action for Development (AFD) and Pastoral Community Initiative and Development Assistance (PACIDA), with participation from government institutions, CSOs, development partners, customary institutions, CBOs, peace and rangeland committees, academic institutions and other cross-border actors.

Building Cooperation Across Borders

The forum focused on strengthening cross-border network cooperation and partnership development, promoting peaceful coexistence, and enhancing the sustainable shared use of natural resources through dialogue, experience sharing, networking and joint action in line with the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP).

Participants also identified connectivity constraints that hinder communication, pastoral mobility, coordination and mutual access to essential services and resources across the Ethiopia–Kenya border.

SCORE Presents the Ethio–Kenya HDP/MAP/BBOLD Platform

Spiritan Community Outreach Ethiopia (SCORE) presented the Ethio–Kenya Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) / Multi-Actor Partnership (MAP) / BBOLD Platform. The presentation introduced the platform's rationale, scope, governance and open membership, alongside lessons learned and priority areas for collaboration.

BBOLD—Border-Based Bonding on Long-Term Development—provides a platform for strengthening collaboration around peace and social cohesion, food security and livelihoods, climate resilience, pastoral mobility and sustainable natural-resource management. SCORE also distributed 120 notebooks containing BBOLD's vision, mission, values and website information.

From Networking to Practical Collaboration

The presentation generated interest among participants in joining and collaborating with BBOLD. PACIDA expressed interest in engaging with the existing BBOLD structure rather than creating a parallel platform, creating an opportunity for stronger coordination and complementarity among cross-border actors.

Cross-border connectors, including peace and rangeland committees, also engaged through an agreement with AFD and PACIDA to facilitate collaboration and address cross-border issues. Since AFD is already a BBOLD member, these linkages can connect community-level structures with the wider BBOLD network and strengthen information sharing, dialogue, coordination and joint action.

Expanding BBOLD Membership

As the Interim Team Secretariat of BBOLD, SCORE prepared and shared a membership request and application format with AFD. The framework provides a structured pathway for organizations and CBOs in cross-border areas to join the platform, covering organizational profile, cross-border experience, areas of collaboration, potential contributions and commitment to BBOLD principles.

Membership commitments include supporting the BBOLD vision and objectives, participating in joint planning and learning, promoting peace and social cohesion, sharing knowledge, ensuring meaningful participation of women and youth, upholding accountability, inclusion and conflict sensitivity, and avoiding duplication of interventions.

Strengthening the Way Forward

The forum strengthened networking between Ethiopian and Kenyan actors, increased awareness and interest in BBOLD, identified opportunities for collaboration with other cross-border networks, and reinforced the need for coordinated action on peace, livelihoods, food security, resilience and natural-resource management.

The discussions reinforced a shared understanding that pastoral mobility, natural resources, peace, animal health, markets and livelihoods are interconnected and require practical, mutually beneficial cooperation.

Together, through stronger partnerships, locally led action and the continued development of the BBOLD network, stakeholders can build bridges across borders and contribute to peaceful, resilient and sustainable communities.